Lastres (Colunga)

Lastres (Llastres in Asturian) is a fishing village in the municipality of Colunga on the eastern coast of Asturias, built in steep tiers above its harbour, with a 300 m beach at the entrance to the village. You reach it on the AS-31 road, park near the harbour or at the Mirador de San Roque above the village, and walk the steep lanes of the old quarter. It suits people who like harbours, seafood and viewpoints and don’t mind climbing; skip it if steps and slopes are hard for you.

Quick facts

• Names: Lastres (Spanish) and Llastres (Asturian), the name the Asturias tourist board now uses. Its beach is also called Playa L’Estilleru.
• Where: Colunga, eastern Asturias, on the Costa Verde, between the sea and the Sierra del Sueve. Road access by the AS-31.
• Coordinates: 43.5145, -5.2690 (old quarter, by the Capilla del Buen Suceso).
• Awards: Pueblo Ejemplar de Asturias (Exemplary Village of Asturias), given by the Princess of Asturias Foundation in 2010; also listed among the Most Beautiful Villages of Spain (Turismo Asturias).
• Main sights: the old quarter and Balleneros (whalers’) quarter, the Capilla del Buen Suceso, the Torre del Reloj, the church of Santa María de Sábada, the harbour and fish market, and the Mirador de San Roque.
• Tourist information: Colunga tourism, tel. 985 852 200, info@colunga.es.
• Entry: free; it is a village, not a ticketed site.

Access and parking

By car: Turismo Asturias gives the AS-31 as the access road (Turismo Asturias). The lower part of the village and the harbour are at sea level; the upper village and the Mirador de San Roque are reached by road above.

Parking: OpenStreetMap maps a free surface car park by the harbour, about 130 m from the old quarter, and another free car park next to the chapel of San Roque at the viewpoint, about 240 m away and above the village. Several more car parks are mapped on the west side, 350–500 m from the centre, without fee information. The beach page of Turismo Asturias lists parking at the beach. We could not confirm any paid or restricted zones.

By bus: OpenStreetMap shows bus stops at San Antonio and El Mesón, 230–320 m from the old quarter. We could not confirm routes or timetables.

What to expect

Turismo Asturias describes Lastres as squeezed between the sea and the mountain, a former whaling village and coastal stronghold that has fished for centuries. The old quarter has cobbled streets, palaces and houses with coats of arms mixed with simple fishermen’s houses, and views to the Cantabrian Sea and Monte Sueve. The board names the Balleneros quarter, the Capilla del Buen Suceso, the Torre del Reloj and the church of Santa María de Sábada as the places to look for. OpenStreetMap also marks smaller sights in the lanes, such as the Casa de las Ballenas (18th century), the Escaleras de la Fragua (17th century), the Palacio de Vallados and the old public washing place.

Down at the harbour you can watch the fishing boats and the fish and seafood auction at the lonja, and eat that catch in the village restaurants and cider houses. The marina, run by the Club Náutico Bahía de Lastres, has 164 fixed berths and no transit berths (Turismo Asturias).

Lastres is well known in Spain as a filming location. Several films and series have been shot here, above all the TV series Doctor Mateo, and there is a tourist route around its locations. The board calls it one of the most photographed and filmed places in Asturias.

From the Mirador de San Roque, at the top of the village, you see the whole village, its beaches, the Sierra del Sueve and, on clear days, the Picos de Europa. The board also points to the Jurassic Museum (Museo del Jurásico de Asturias), in the area, and to dinosaur footprints along this coast.

Beach and walks

• Playa de Lastres / L’Estilleru: a 300 m cove of golden sand, pebbles and gravel at the entrance to the village, surrounded by cliffs; boats were built here for centuries, which gave it its second name. Listed services: catering, showers, toilets, parking and lifeguards (daily from 20 June to 8 September). There is a ramp down to the sand. Dogs are banned from the beaches from 1 June to 30 September (Turismo Asturias, checked November 2026).
• Lighthouse walk (Ruta del Faro de Luces): 8.3 km out and back from the Mirador de San Roque through farmland and the hamlet of Lluces to the Faro de Lastres (Luces) on the cliffs. Rated easy, about +100 m of climbing, 3 to 5 hours, all year. The lighthouse flashes every 12 seconds with a range of 23 nautical miles (Turismo Asturias route).

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

Summer brings lifeguards on the beach and the most visitors. Outside the June to September period the village is quieter, and you can take your dog on the beach. Come early or late in the day for the light from the Mirador de San Roque; the lighthouse walk is listed as suitable all year.

Nearby alternatives

• Playa de Gulpiyuri, 32 km away: a small beach further east along the Asturian coast.
• Gijón, 32 km away: the city to the west along the coast.
• Picos de Europa, 35 km away: the mountains you see from the Mirador de San Roque on clear days.
• Llanes Coastal Path, 43 km away: cliff-top walking further east.
• Llanes, 43 km away: the town at the start of that path, further east.

Distances are in a straight line from Lastres.

FAQ

Is there parking in Lastres?

Yes. OpenStreetMap shows a free car park by the harbour, about 130 m from the old quarter, and a free car park at the Mirador de San Roque above the village, plus more car parks on the west side.

Can you swim at Lastres?

Yes, at the 300 m Playa de Lastres (L’Estilleru), a cove of sand, pebbles and gravel with lifeguards daily from 20 June to 8 September.

Are dogs allowed on Lastres beach?

Not from 1 June to 30 September, when dogs are banned from the beaches, according to Turismo Asturias.

Is Lastres the Doctor Mateo village?

Yes. Many scenes of the Spanish TV series Doctor Mateo were filmed in Lastres and on its beach, and there is a tourist route around the locations.

What is the best viewpoint in Lastres?

The Mirador de San Roque at the top of the village, with views over the village, the beaches, the Sierra del Sueve and, on clear days, the Picos de Europa. It is also the start of the lighthouse walk.

Sources and freshness